Bailer



Jan. 3, 1956 T. E. HINSON BAILER Filed Feb. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Thomas E Hinson INVENTOR.

BY Wow 5% Jan. 3, 1956 Filed Feb. 17, 1955 T. E. HIN SON BAILER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

My! FM L v BAXLER Thomas E. Hinson, Corpus Christi, Tex. Application February 17, 1953, Serial No. 337,317

6 Claims. or. 166-63) This invention relates to a hydrostatic bailer and particularly to a bailer having a frangible seal for closing one end of the bailer and the projectile device in the form of an explosive cartridge and missile for breaking the frangible seal to admit fluid into the bailer.

In the construction of oil wells or other deep wells considerabledifliculty is encountered in removing the sand and other material from the bottom of the hole. It has heretofore been customary to provide bailers having stop valves adjacent the bottom thereof and to drop these bailers into the hole so that the fluid in the hole would raise the check valve and admit material into the interior of thebailer. This has been ineffective with regard to much material as the weight of the bailer would cause the gravel, sand or other materialto flow upwardly over the outer surface of the bailer rather than enter into the same and be removed from the hole.

The present invention provides a bailer utilizing hydrostatic pressure for forcing the sand, or other material into the interior of the bailer and having a check valve to prevent its removal therefrom.

A bailer according to the present construction comprises an elongated substantially tubular hollow body having a seal at the lower end thereof and a cartridge receiving chamber at the top or upper end thereof with a head mounted below the seal and a suitable ball check valve mounted therein for retaining fluid in the body. A breech block and firing mechanism is arranged on the upper end of the bailer and a jar is attached thereto for operating the firing mechanism so that at the desired time 'a projectile may be projected against the frangible seal to break the same and admit the fluids in the hole under the hydrostatic pressure therein. The use of hydrostatic pressure will cause the materials in the bottom of the well to flow into the bailer even though the bailer has displaced them laterally or upwardly alongside thereof when the bailer is introduced into the hole.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved bailer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bailer operating by hydrostatic pressure.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bailer having a frangible seal therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bailer having projectile means for rupturing a frangible seal.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bailer having frangible means for retaining the bailer inactive. Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a cased well hole showing the bailer received therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the detonator end of the bailer taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the intake end of the bailer taken substantially on the i plane indicated by line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4is across section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line '4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 2 showing the frangible safety pin;

Figure 6 is a cross section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 6--6 of Figure 3 showing the position of the frangible seal;

Figure 7 is a cross section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 3 and showing the sand hole; and

Figure 8 is a cross section taken substantially on the planeindicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 3 and showing the outside of the sand holes.

In the' exemplary embodiment of the invention, a hole 10 is produced in the earth 12 and is provided with a casing 14, although, it will be apparent that the casing 14 may be omitted in certain formations.

The bailer proper is constituted by a longitudinally extending hollow body preferably substantially tubular in formation such as the body 20. A forward seal supporting nipple 22 is applied to the body 20 and a head 24 is attached thereto. A firing chamber 26 is attached to the upper or rear end of the bailer body 20 and a breech block 28 is connected thereto. Firing mechanism 30 is attached to the breech block and has an actuating plunger 32 reciprocably mounted therein and held in an operative position by means of a shear pin 110. A set of jars 36 a is operatively connected to the piston 32 for producing '40 having an axial passage 42 therein.

actuation of the firing mechanism as well as raising and lowering the bailer out of the hole. The jars 36 may be of any desired type and preferably are connected to a running line, not shown, for raising and lowering the bailer; The jars 36 are herein shown as of the piston and cylinder type but obviously any desired type of jar may be used.

The hollow body member 20 is preferably substantially cylindrical or tubular in form having a reduced lower end Nipple 22 is connected to the reduced end 40 of the body 2t) by means of suitable threaded connections 44. The frangible seal, herein shown as a su stantially cylindrical or circular disk 46, is secured in the nipple 22 in substantial fluid tight relation therewith. The head 24 is provided with a reduced portion 48 having threaded connections 50 with the nipple 22 and having an axial passage 52 for the admission of fluids therethrough.

The head 24 is provided Wtih a plurality of sand holes 54 which originate in an outer bevel surface 56 and terminate within a conical valve seat 58 within the head 24. A ball valve 60 is mounted in the head 24 and adapted to seat on the seat 58 to prevent return flow of fluid through the passages 54. A retainer pin 62 is mounted above the valve 60 to prevent its removal from the vicinity of the seat 58 by the rush of fluid into the bailer.

A firing chamber 26 is provided with a cartridge receiving bore 66 adapted to receive a cartridge 68 having a quantity of explosive 70 therein and a missile or projectile 72 adapted to be projected through the passage 66 and through the body 20 into contact with the frangible seal 46 to disrupt the same and admit the flow of fluid into the bailer. The chamber member 26 is connected to the body 20 by means of suitable threaded connections 74. A sealing member such as a substantially circular disk 76 is mounted behind the cartridge receiving passage 66 and substantially closes the same against fluid pressure. The sealing disk or diaphragm 76 is provided with a projection 78 adapted to contact the primer or detonator 80 of the cartridge for a purpose presently to be described.

The breech block 28 has a portion 82 threadedly engaged with the rear of the chamber 26 by means of suitable threaded connections 84 so that the portion 82 is placed in firm engagement with the diaphragm 76. Breech block 28 is provided with a bore 86 which is provided with a counterbore 88 in which is slidably mounted a firing pin 90 having a projection 92 extending through the bore 86 into contact with the diaphragm 76.

A striking mechanism 30 includes a substantially cylindrical member threadedly connected to the rear of the breech block 28 by means of threaded connection 94. The plunger 32 has a reduced portion received in a passage 96 of the cylinder 30 and enlarged head 98 slidable within the cylinder 30. The plunger 32 is adapted to slide through the passage 96 so that the head 98 may contact the firing pin 90 to project the extension 92 against the diaphragm 76 to cause the portion 78 to actuate the detonator 80. A base 100 is connected to the plunger 32 by means of suitable threads 102 and a connector member 104 is connected in the base 100 by means of a pin connection 186. The jars 36 are connected to the member 104 by means of a suitable threaded connection 108.

In order to inhibit sliding motion of the plunger 32 during normal handling of the bailer the frangible member in the form of a shear pin 110 is secured in the plunger 32 so that it normally contacts the end of the cylinder 60 to prevent substantial sliding motion of the plunger 32 therein.

In the operation of the hydrostatic bailer according to the invention, the frangible seal 46 is secured in position after which the explosive cartridge with the projectile 72 is placed in position after which the seal diaphragm 76 is placed in position either at normal air pressure or substantial vacuum within the body 2t). The bailer is then lowered into the well opening and allowed to settle to the bottom thereof after which a few strokes of the jar 36 will break the frangible pin 110 and allow the plunger 32 to contact the firing pin 90 so that the projection 78 will apply pressure to the detonator 80 and ignite the charge of explosive 70 in the cartridge 68. The detonation of the charge 70 will cause the projectile 72 to travel downward through the body 20 and to forcibly strike the seal 46 substantially instantaneously removing the seal and allowing the hydrostatic pressure in the hole to force fluid into the bailer carrying sand, silt or other material into the interior of the bailer. The rush of fluid into the bailer will lift the ball valve 60 which will be retained in the vicinity of the passages 54 by means of the pin 62. As soon as the pressure within the bailer has been equalized the ball 68 will close the passages 54 and prevent the return flow of fluid from the interior of the bailer.

Since the bailer is completely sealed while being lowered into position it is particularly useful in securing samples for inspection or analysis. When bottom hole samples are desired the bailer is lowered through the mud and fluids in the well to the bottom after which the frangible seal is broken and the hydrostatic pressure in the well forces the cuttings and other material from the bottom of the well into the bailer substantially free of the mud or fluids higher up in the hole.

It is apparent that the bailing structure may be disassembled by means of various threaded connections to renew the diaphragm or seal 4-6 and to replace the cartridge 6?. so, it is apparent that the portion of the shear pin remaining in the piston 32 may be easily removed and a new shear pin installed so that the bailer may be handled without danger of detonating the charge therein.

It will thus be apparent that the present invention provides an improved bailer having means for suddenly unsealing the same to permit hydrostatic pressure in the well to force the silt, sand or other cuttings into the interior of the bailer for readily removing the same.

For purposes of exemplification a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts thereof without departing from the true spirit of the inxention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bailer comprising an elongated substantially tubular body, a head mounted on one end of said tubular body, a frangible seal sealing the bore of said tubular body in proximity to said head, said head having inlet passages therein, a ball valve in said head, a firing chamber mounted in said body at the opposite end from said head, a breech block mounted on said firing chamber, a cylinder mounted on said breech block, said breech block having a bore communicating said cylinder with said firing chamber, a flexible diaphragm interposed between said breech block and said firing chamber, a firing pin slidably mounted in the bore in said breech block, said firing pin engaging said diaphragm and extending into said cylinder, a cartridge for rupturing said frangible seal mounted in said firing chamber and aligned with said frangible seal, means connected with said diaphragm and arranged to contact said cartridge when said diaphragm is flexed in order to fire the cartridge, a plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder, a frangible member retaining said plunger out of engagement with said firing pin, said plunger and said firing pin being in alignment, and means operable to rupture said frangible member and project said plunger against said firing pin to thereby move said pin against said diaphragm to flex the latter as aforesaid.

2. A bailer comprising an elongated substantially tubular body, a head mounted on one end of said tubular body, a frangible seal sealing the bore of said tubular body in proximity to said head, said head having inlet passages therein, a ball valve in said head, a firing chamber mounted in said body at the opposite end from said head, a breech block mounted on said firing chamber, a cylinder mounted on said breech block, said breech block having a bore communicating said cylinder with said firing chamber, a diaphragm interposed between said breech block and said firing chamber, a firing pin slidably mounted in the bore in said breech block, said firing pin engaging said diaphragm and extending into said cylinder, at plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder, a frangible member tending to retain said plunger out of engagement with said firing pin, and means operable to rupture said frangible member and project said plunger against said firing pin, a projection on said diaphragm, said firing chamber being adapted to receive a cartridge having a detonator, an explosive charge and a missile, said firing pin being operable to project said projection to actuate a detonator received in said firing chamber.

3. A bailer comprising an elongated hollow body, a check valve closing the lower end of said body, a frangible disc sealing the bore of said body adjacent to said check valve, a firing chamber adjacent to the opposite end of said body, an explosive cartridge in said firing chamber and having a projectile adapted to shatter said frangible disc when said cartridge is fired, a flexible diaphragm sealing the bore of said body adjacent to said firing chamber, a firing pin in said body, means in said body for striking said firing pin, a shear pin retaining said striking means spaced from said firing pin, means carried on said diaphragm for contacting the cartridge when said diaphragm is flexed, and said diaphragm supporting said firing pin in the ready position so that said striker hitting said firing pin displaces said firing pin which flexes said diaphragm to drive said cartridge contacting means onto the cartridge to detonate the same.

4. A hydrostatic bailer comprising a substantially tubular body, a valve head attached to one end of said body, a check valve in said valve head, a frangible member sealing the bore of said body in proximity to said valve head, a firing chamber adjacent to the opposite end of said body and having a cartridge therein, the cartridge including a projectile, an explosive charge and a detonator, a firing pin in said body, a flexible diaphragm secured in the bore of said body adjacent to said cartridge and supporting said firing pin adjacent to the cartridge, a striker in said body, a shear pin holding said striker separated from said firing pin, and a projection on said diaphragm for contacting said detonator in order to fire the cartridge so that its projectile shatters said frangible member when said shear pin is broken and the striker drives said firing pin against said flexible diaphragm.

5. The hydrostatic bailer of claim 4 wherein said body has inlet apertures at one end thereof which are controlled by said check valve to prevent back flow therethrough.

6. A hydrostatic bailer comprising an elongated hollow body having an opening in one end thereof, a frangible seal applied over said opening, a hollow head mounted on said body, a ball check valve in said head, a cartridge chamber mounted in said body in spaced relation to said seal, a breech block secured to said body in opera= tive relation to said cartridge chamber, a firing pin slid able in said breech block, a striking mechanism in said body and operable to actuate said firing pin, a frangible member connected with said striking mechanism and holding said striking mechanism spaced from said firing pin, jar means operatively connected to said striking mechanism and operative to break said frangible member and project said striking mechanism against said firing pin, and cartridge firing means in said body and including a flexible diaphragm holding said firing pin poised in position to deflect said diaphragm when said striking mechanism actuates said firing pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

